Hi there,

Our triplets would like Nintendo's for Christmas, I cant help but think they are way too young. What age did your children get theirs?

Our children will be 5 3/4 by Christmas.

thanks,

Oz
ggb May 05

<a href="http://lilypie.com/"><img src="" width="100" height="80" border="0" alt="Lilypie - Personal picture" /><img src="" width="200" height="80" border="0" alt="Lilypie Kids

We have xbox 360 and the WII and they play both. That being said, the only reason we have them is because my husband wanted them. If you are talking about the handhelds, mine are almost 7 and I wouldn't get it for them yet. I am sure they would end up broken. Also, I just don't think they need to be that disconnected. I have a friend, and she brought her daughter over and we were playing a board game. When it wasn't her turn, she as playing on her video game. Not paying attention to what the rest of the players were doing. I just really thought that was rude. Because of that....they will not get those types of systems for a long time.

Dawn

Mom to Samantha, Jeremy, Paige and Christian

Born 12/12/03 @ 31w 2d



http://lovinglifewithquads.blogspot.com

Thanks Dawn, I so agree with you. We had a freind over whos 8 year old did exactly the same thing. I think i will talk about how unfriendly they are and talk them instead into a Wee II. Thanks for your response + i might use the wee2 more then them YAY.

<a href="http://lilypie.com/"><img src="" width="100" height="80" border="0" alt="Lilypie - Personal picture" /><img src="" width="200" height="80" border="0" alt="Lilypie Kids

We got our Wii when they turned 7. It's rarely used. Last year when they turned 8 they got Nintendo DSi hand held game systems.

When and if you do get them the hand held systems you have to put a limit on them...and REALLY stick to it. OMG....my kids can become OBSESSED and so disconnected like pp said. DH and have finally taken them away from our kids till who knows when. We tried restricting it to just use in the car to and from school and on weekends. But then on weekends they would prefer to play those instead of playing outside. Well that doesn't work for me. I swear they also got attitudes over night and the not listening got worse. I blame it on the DSi's, but maybe it's just the age. Either way we took them away 2 weeks ago and they are playing outside and playing with all their TOYS, AND their behavior has improved! Yay!


Terri~
12/21/01 at 33 weeks

My kids are only allowed to use the WII and the computer on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. They do try to use them constantly, but I limit it. I really only let them use it right after breakfast and then after dinner for a bit. If it is raining, I don't really worry about how much they use them. For the most part, they will play for a bit and then get bored with it and play with something else.

Dawn

Mom to Samantha, Jeremy, Paige and Christian

Born 12/12/03 @ 31w 2d



http://lovinglifewithquads.blogspot.com

Mine are 5 1/2 and we have Wii. One boy loves it and would do it all day if you let him! The other boy will play but mostly likes to watch his brother. My dd will play but rather do other things. I do limit it to weekends only or if ALL HW is done during weekday but for a VERY short amount of time. I do believe it does change the personality of the ds who loves it the most. I have to very careful with him. He can get wrapped up where he only wants to do that. Once I take it away for a while, he'll go back to having other interests again. So every so often, I take it away for a while. I hide the controls. Weeks might pass before I allow it again. Just depends.
At 5 mine are fine with using the controllers but I have to remind them to be reponsible with taking care of it, esp when they change the games on their own. They will forget to put it back in the case.

I see the good and bad. Like with everything, moderation is key!

Agapi

Proud Mommy of
Kaden, Rowen, Kai
BGB 03-22-05

our kids will be 6 in December and there's no way I'm getting anything like that. I'm not sure that they're too young; it's more I'm concerned about the whole addiction factor. I think it will turn into a battle and I have no reason to buy a toy that we'll fight about. I love that they make up their own games right now and are always playing or reading something, and talking constantly. I hate to mess with it. I remember my stepson used to have his head in that handheld game of his and everything else was boring.

Mary

born 12/12/04 33w2d

I agree. We held out against games (in those days it was computer) for a long time. If I could go back I wouldn't have them at all. They are on way too much and it's a constant fight. If you do get one, make strict rules and stick to them - but realize that even that WILL NOT stop the battle. Trust me!!

Kari S.

Mom to BBB 21, 18, 14
BBG 9/25/01

I was completely against video games, but my mother broke me down and I finally let her buy them a wii for Christmas when they were 8 which meant my youngest was 6. And OMG did she go hog wild. They did play it that first year but I limited it. My younest had little to no intrest and still doesn't at 8. The trio are 10 now I think it has been turned on once in the past 6 months.

A lot of their friends and cousins had DS/DSi so of course they wanted them too. I wouldn't let them get them. Finally this year I let them spend their own money on a handheld but and Ipod touch not the DSi. It just made more financial sense and there is so much more they can do with them other than games so I feel better about it. Games/apps are less expensive. Buy the games/apps once and they get loaded on ALL FOUR of their touches. No buying $20-$30 cartridges that could be lost and they have to share or buy duplicates. And hell most of the games for the touch they love are free downloads! I load books on tape from the library on them for them to listen to, Ebooks for them to read (they love the ebooks), educational games and tools. and of course all their music. Oh and I don't have a smartphone so I carry one when they are at school. LOL And at $149 for the devise it was close to the cost of the DSi. But in the end has been much cheaper. Always comes back to money with me.

But even still they are extremely limited on use. All homework has to be done, instrument paracticed, books read. Only exception is if they are reading an ebook on the touch. And I have been known to turn off all the games on their touch before giving it to them to ensure they are reading and not playing. But I only have 2 I have think about doing that to. The other two I can trust if they say they are reading they are reading. My son and my younest are the ones I have to watch. I keep them by my chair and they have to ask me for them.

Tasha
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